Adama Diomande goal 'poetry in motion', says Hull boss Mike Phelan

Adama Diomande's spectacular overhead kick, the first goal of the new Premier League season, was "poetry in motion" according to his boss Mike Phelan.

The forward opened the scoring against Leicester City with a brilliant bicycle kick as Hull beat the champions 2-1 on Saturday lunchtime.

Despite there initially being some doubt about the identity of the goalscorer at the KCOM Stadium, with Abel Hernandez in close proximity to Diomande, the Norwegian was officially given the goal.

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However, it was that determination from his strikers to find the back of the net that most pleased Hull's temporary boss.

"It is an excellent finish, no matter who has got it, and to see two strikers wanting to score a goal shows how important it was for them and it was poetry in motion," said Phelan after the match.

"We thought we probably would have scored on that first one as the back post was open and so it would have gone in.

"It did not, but credit to them as they tried it again and we've worked on a few things and sometimes it comes down to that situation from a set piece.

"And though it was not expected from an overhead kick, you'd take that."

The Tigers came into the match after a troubled summer that had seen previous manager Steve Bruce leave the club, despite him having guided them back to the Premier League last season.

Phelan, though, sensed his players were capable of producing an upset against the Foxes, who became the first defending champions to lose on the opening day of the campaign since Arsenal in 1989.

"I thought the players had it in them to produce something, obviously character is a big issue when things are not going your way in pre-season," he said. "We had to change a lot of things in order to get where we are today.

"A lot of the time it was fingers crossed to see if we had enough players to get out on the field today.

Snodgrass stuns champions

Robert Snodgrass strike downs champions

"But all credit to the players, they showed a lot of determination, it was not easy for them, they stuck to their task. And to lose a goal when we did straight after half-time, you might think is that going to be an opening of the gates situation.

"But they carried on, played the way I asked them to, showing great determination and character on the ball and got the goal.

"You have to master the ball, take the ball, play with confidence, character and courage, and I thought everything came out today and roll on the next one!"

There was some doubt about Leicester's equaliser that came when referee Mike Dean adjudged Tom Huddlestone to have tripped Demarai Gray just inside the box only 14 seconds into the second half.

"When you go in at half-time and have just scored and everything is euphoric because of the work you have put in, we have probably just switched off," Phelan said.

"Concentration is a big thing after half-time and at the time, I was not sure it was a penalty. We found ourselves in that position and making a challenge when we did not have to.

"It is always a hard decision for anybody to make when your own midfield player tackles from behind the player who has the ball. There were a couple of other bodies around that, so it probably could have been dealt with a little bit better.

"I still think it was a harsh decision, but at the end of the day, it is difficult to make with the new rules."

Phelan thought it key his side retook the lead so soon after conceding through Robert Snodgrass' well-taken strike.

"That is important [to equalise so quickly] as it is not very often in the Premier League that you have a nil-nil game, so you have to score goals and try and score more than one goal, which is important at this level.

"Our guys have to learn quickly, it was very difficult for them, but they managed to keep going and when you have got a bit of togetherness, then you can always create a chance.

"It only needed another one and it came to us early on and we got strength out of that."

And the Tigers boss was full of praise for the Scotland international, who turned in a man-of-the-match display having missed much of the first half of last season through injury.

"He has worked really, really hard to get back to this point again," Phelan said. "He came back at the midpoint of last season and did really well, but this is the level he wants to be at.

"And I think today he showed that performance that we need consistently and he has worked really, really hard to get to this point. So congratulations to him."